Week of 12/23/13

Written by Press Readers

December 19, 2013

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Support needed and appreciatedTo the editor: Most people have no idea how much money it takes to run a shelter. At the Humane Society of Ottawa County, the electric bill is $500-600 per month in the winter. Then there is the gas, phone, water, and trash service.

Our veterinary bill is between $5,000-10,000 per month. We take in animals that have been surrendered and respond to calls of abuse, neglect, abandonment. We have to take care of all of these animals. There are employees to pay who care for the animals while they are waiting for homes.

The animal shelter is a 24/7 operation; no holidays or weekends are taken. Medications, which include flea treatments and de-worming supplies, run several hundred dollars a month. We do five to 10 loads of laundry a day to maintain a clean environment for the animals.

Sheltering homeless animals has to be done right, which means that every animal needs to receive the care it needs to be comfortable until its family arrives.

At HSOC, we pride ourselves in taking exemplary care of the animals in our charge. Our shelter is a no-kill facility, and we need your help.

Our goal is to have 1,000 people donate $5-20 or more per month. This will just cover our basic expenses. Your donation is tax deductible, as we are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Most people do not realize that we do not receive any funding from any city, county, township, state or federal funds – we survive on individual donations alone.

We do have many folks that do donate food, litter, etc., and it is greatly appreciated by the animals. We also have many volunteers who come out and walk dogs, play with cats and kittens and help clean the shelter, and we can always use more.

We also need members to join HSOC. Dues are $25 for individuals and $50 per family. Supporting members, who pay $100 dues and Kennel Sponsors, who pay $150, enjoy voting rights at meetings, which are held the second Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Ida Rupp Library, Madison St. Port Clinton.

To those who help, we extend a big thank you from the animals, staff and board.Denny HammondHumane Officer, Ottawa County Humane Society

Stopping the trendTo the editor: Your recent front page editorial about what happened to East Toledo was full of real estate statistics.

There is more is to the big picture about the problems east of the river. We have been lied to and taxed without proper representation by council members.

All the neighborhoods in Toledo have sent the homeless, jobless and, how do I say this nicely...criminals. I have been an East Toledoan most of my 56 years. (I left in 1975 because, like now, there was no employment in Toledo for a high school graduate).

For most of the time, most of the families in East Toledo were working in the many jobs in the area – American Ship Building, Interlake Steel, refineries and food, stores and the service industry.

When I was growing up on Howland Avenue, every home had an income – some two. Homes were owned by the occupant. All the children of the Baby Boomer generation went to school and had passing grades. I could go into detail, but most were living, working and spending money in East Toledo.

Yes there were exceptions, but it was safe, happy and full of East-Side-Born-and-Raised Pride. As we have grown older, our parents have moved to follow jobs; so did the children. Take a look at Main Street; many businesses that prospered back in 20th century, like the Sports Arena, Eastwood Theater, G.C. Murphy’s, Food Town, Penney’s, Sears, Anchor Printing and East Side Sun newspaper.,

But those businesses are now gone. Why would anyone want to move here now? Shopping and employment have moved. The parents have died off leaving the homes, which, like you stated, are too expensive to make habitable or up to code.

So now we have few if any reasons to attract new business and good homeowners. Instead of spending tax dollars to change parking on Main Street. the money should have been spent to find and attract small or large employers to our area.

Now if you need to shop or work, you have to go outside of East Toledo. Many are not going to go to West Toledo to shop or work. My family has lived in East Toledo for more than 100 years.

My great-grandfathers helped to build East Toledo. A.G. Zeller and the family business of my grandfather moved the buildings to widen Main Street and relocated homes to build the Anthony Wayne Bridge. They also built irrigation ditches to drain the Great Black Swamp to make land useable.

W.H. Young Sr., my grandfather, was an East Toledo activist, who worked to help Mr. Pearson locate and purchase the property for Pearson Park. My great-grandfather, uncle and dad were all Toledo firefighters. All of the relatives I mentioned lived, worked and spent the money they made in East Toledo.

Your next article should be about the things East of the Maumee River that are positive – including many nice homes and businesses along the Maumee River. It has a great location on two major interstate highways, railroad and water transportation.

All the cities east or south of the river could help each other. Rossford and Perrysburg are growing, with many new and relocated businesses and homes. Oregon, Northwood and East Toledo are stagnant, and losing taxpayers and businesses.

As can be seen in The Press Police Blotter, crime is increasing. Why? The funny thing is, when I talk to old school mates or neighbors that moved out of East Toledo to escape crime and low home values., it is following them to the suburbs in Oregon and Northwood.